Corn-harvester



(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

R. PEDERSON.

CORN HARVESTER.

Patented Jan. 21, 1896.

Err/(W (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

R. PEDERSON.

CORN HARVESTER.

Patented Jan. 21,- 1896.

(-No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 R. PEDERSON. CORN HARVESTER No. 553,421. Patented Jan. 21, 1896;

HAM. PHUm-UTHD WASHINFIUN, DJL

5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

R. PEDERSON. 001m HARVESTER.

No. 553,421. Patented Jan. 2.1, 1896.

5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

B. PBDERSON.

GORN HARVESTER I No. 553,421. Patented Jan. 21, 1896.

w/t vzes'ses. ew/ar. '6 Fi t/@1 1. ,f wwuw 11% UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RASMUS IEDERSON, OF DRAMMEI, MINNFSOTi X.

CORN-HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,421, dated January 21, 1896.

Application filed March 22, 1895. Serial No. 542,762. (No model.)

To (all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, RASMUS PEDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Draminen township, in the county of Lincoln and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corn-Han vesters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

M y invention relates to corn-harvesters.

In certain of its features the machine herein shown and described is similar to the machine described in my former United States patents, to wit: No. IJIJBS, of date March 21,

189 3; No. 522,385, of date July 3, 189i, and No. 522,386, of date July 3, 1894. In my prescnt invention, however, the general arrangement of the machine is entirely different from that shown in my said prior patents and several important features of improvement have been added.

As a brief forecast of the detailed description that is to follow it maybe observed that the machine is designed to be drawn, or rather pushed ahead of the horses, after the manner of that class of grain-machines generally known as headers. The main body of the machine is carried almost entirelybya single drive-wheel, which is located between the bundle-tables and near the center of gravity of the table-section of the machine. The machine is steadied from sidcwise-tilting motion by a pair of steadying or balancing wheels, located one on each side of the longitudinal center of gravity of the machine. The driver stands on a platform carried at the rear end of a rearwardlyextending steering-pole, which end is supported by a rudder-wheel, by means of which the machine is guided. The bundle-tables, instead of being pivoted, as is usual, are rigid, and I employ pivoted dischargearms working over the same to dis charge the bundles. The levers and other connections for operating the reels, the discharge-arms for tilting the machine and for throwing the driving-gear in and out of action, as well as the lever connection from the rudder-wheel, all extend to within an easy reach of the operator standing on the drivers platform.

Other novel details of construction will appear in the following detailed description, and be illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, like letters referring to like parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a right side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, some parts being shown in section, some broken away, and others removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the machine, taken on the line X X of Fig. 2, looking from the right, some parts being broken away. Fig. 4 is a view principally in front elevation and partially in ver tical sect-ion taken on the line X L of Fig. 2, the wheels of the machine as well as certain other rear portions not being shown. Fig. 5 is a detail of a portion of the support for the reel, taken on the line X X of Fig. 4, looking from the right side of the machine. Fig. 6 is a vertical section through one of the cutters, taken on the line X X of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a detail view in right side elevation, some parts being broken away, showing a worm and worm-gear together with a case for the same, which parts are used for raising and lowering the machine. Fig. 8 is a detail view in right side elevation, some parts being broken away, showing a sliding latch-segment and runway for the same, constituting a portion of the reel-controlling mechanism; and Fig. 9 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line X of Fig. 8.

a represents the drive-wheel, which is loose l y mounted on a shaft to, to the outer ends of which shaft are rigidly secured the pinions 0.

b I) represent the bundle-tables located on opposite sides of said drive-wheel and secured together, respectively, at their front and rear ends, by angle-bars 1) b Rising from the inner edge of these bundle-tables Z), rigidly secured therewith, running longitudinally thercof,and terminating forward of the anglebar I), are a pair of side plates Zr. Secured to the inner side of these side plates are a pair of channel-like segments Z), in which the pinions (4 of the shaft a work, and by means of which connections the drive-wheel a is mounted to carry the bundle-table section of the machine. if is a transverse shaft loosely mounted in bearings b, projecting rearward from the walls Z1 and the angle-bar Z9 At the outer ends of this shaft are rigidlysecured the caster-bearings U, in which bearings are pivotally mounted brackets b of casterwheels b These caster-wheels b constitute the balancing-wheels of the machine, and in virtue of the fact that theyare in the form of caster-wheels will, of course, follow the course of the machine.

c is the steering-pole pivotally mounted at its forward end by means of brackets c on the cross-shaft b and braced against sidewise motion by brace-rods 0 secured to said pole c and hooked at their forward ends into seats in the brackets Z2 d represents the drivers or operators platform, which is secured to the rear end of the steering-pole c.

f is the rudder-wheel, mounted in the easter bracket f, the stem of which casterbracket is pivotally mounted in the vertical bearing f secured to the rear end of said steering-pole,and is provided at its upper end with an operating-lever f projecting over the platform d. It will be here noted that the face of this steering-wheel f is wedgeshaped. This permits the wheel when running to cut a groove-track, which prevents the wheel from slipping sidewise in the action of steering the machine.

0 represents a doubletree, pivoted to the rear end of the platform (Z and pole c. As is obvious,the horses are attached to this doubletree, standing one on each side of the pole c and to rear of the caster-wheels b.

Rigidly secured on the shaft 1)", near the center of the same, is an arm g, connected by means of a link g to the intermediate portion of a long lever 9 This lever g is pivoted at its forward end on the drive-wheel shaft a, and is held at its rearward or free end in whatever position it may be set by means of ahand-opera-ted spring-latch g carried by said lever and co-operating with a perforated latch-bar 9 As shown, this latchbar 9 is in the form of an angle-bar, and is pivoted at its lower end to the pole c to permit the necessary pivotal motion under the adjustment of the lever g This bar 9 is held in its proper working position in respect to the spring-latch g by means of a keeper 9?, carried by said lever g As is evident,by moving this lever g the inclination of the casterwheel bearings b may be varied so as to raise or lower the shaft Z2 thus rocking the bundletable section of the machine on the shaft a as a fulcrum, to change the inclination of the bundle-table.

h h represent a pair of vertical plates secured to and rising from the angle-bar b forward of the bundle-tables. The forward ends of these plates 7L and the forward ends of the plates Z2 are curved or flared from each other, so as to form a pair of gathering-crotches, one in line of each of the bundle-tables.

7; represents the arighting or gathering arms, which are four in number and are pivotally mounted one from the outer side of each of the gathering-plates 71' and one from the inner side of the forward ends of the plates Z1 This pivotal connection is made by means of studs projecting from said plates h and b working through perforations in the rear ends of said arms k, and having at their outer ends thumb-nuts The gathering-arms 7a are guided laterally between the outer or forward edges of the plates h or b as the case may be, and vertically-projecting fingers k carried by said plates. The forward or gathering ends of these arighting-arms 7e are turned upward to prevent the same from being stuck into the ground under the forward movement of the machine, and are permitted a slight yielding lateral motion under the action of the coiled springs k and the studs 79. The plates h and b are also provided at their forward edges with a series of perforations 713 in which may be inserted pins 7; to hold the arighting arms L at any desired distance above the ground, or,-if desired, by removing these pins k the armsk will be allowed to rest upon the ground. lVhen out of use, these arms 76 may be thrown upward and backward on the machine out of the way. It must be evident that with this construction the arighting-arms may be adjusted to the various positions of the bundle-tables, and that the arms may yield against the springs k under excessive strains, thus preventing breaking or bending of the same.

The cutting devices which I employ in this machine are of novel design, and comprise each a pair of serrated knives, one of which is fixed and the other of which is movable. The fixed section n is secured partly to the bar 1) by means of a bracket n and partly to the plates hand Z) by means of brackets 71 The extreme side portions of these fixed knife-sections co-operate with the forward ends of the said plates h and if, to form the gathering-crotches of the cutters.

n represents the movable cutters or knives, both of which are secured to a common bar n and work over their respective co-operating fixed cutters 12. The said bar a is held in working position and permitted a lateral reciprocating motion with the knives n by means of keepers of fixed to the angle-bar I). It should be here noted that the cutting portions of these knives or and a project forward beyond both the keepers and rear supports for the same. This is important, as the cornstalks will never be caught by any other projections than the knives themselves after they are once within the gathering-crotches.

Reciprocating motion is imparted to the knives n and bar a through the following driving connections, to wit:

a is a bracket fixed to the bar a connected by a pitman n with a crank-disk n on a short shaft a, mounted in a bearing n secured to the angle-bar b. Shaft n has on its rear end a bevel-pinion a in engagement with a bevelwheeln rigidly secured 011 a short shaft n mounted in bearings 02 secured to the under side of the bundle-tables Z).

at is a sprocket-wheel, which is loosely mounted on the shaft n and is provided with a half clutch which is engageable with a spring-held sliding half-clutch n mounted for sliding motion on shaft n, by means of an ordinary key or feather. (Not shown.) The sprocket-wheel 01 receives motion from a large sprocket-wheel n carried by the drive-wheel a, through a sprocket-chain n passing over both of said sprocket-wheels n and a.

n is an idle sprocket-wheel carried with said drive-wheel a and sprocket-wheel a. In the present arrangement of the machine this sprocket n has no special use, but is simply shown to illustrate how, in case binders were added, driving connections for the same might be readily attached to receive motion from the drive-wheel.

The sliding half-clutch n is shifted to render operative or inoperative the driving mechanism on the cutters byalongrocking crankrod n mounted at its forward end in a bearing-lug n projecting from the right side plate 71 and having at its rear end a handle-piece 91 which co-operates with a lock-plate 11 fixed to the drivers platform which lockplate has catch-lugs 01 which serve to hold the handle-piece n and hence the sliding half-clutch a, in whichever of their extreme positions they may be set.

The machine is raised and lowered by means of a screw-wheel 13, fixed on the drive-wheel shaft c and subject to the action of a worm p. The wheel p is incased in a nest 13 which forms also a seat for the worm p. This nest p is held from rotarymotion by a rod 13 connected at one end to a projecting lug p of the same and at its other end to the left member of the bearings it, thus forminga base of resistance for the worm p. This worm p receives motion from a crank-rod 11 which is held in position near its rearward end by a bracket p projecting from the left side plate 19 As is evident, by turning the crank-rod p and worm p, the wheel 1), the shaft 0/, and the pinions a in engagement with the seg ments 1) will all be revolved, which action will, of course, raise or lower said segments I)", carrying therewith the bundle-table sec tion of the machine.

ft represent the reel-blades, which work one over each of the cutting devices and serve to deliver the cut stalks onto the bundletables I). These reel-blades i are carried by a cross-shaft t, mounted in the free end of a pivoted reel-bracket t which bracket t is pivoted at its other end to the upper end of the main reel bracket or support t by means of a cross-shaft t. This main reel-bracket t is pivotally mounted at its lower end to the side plates 12 by means of a cross-shaft If. The reel-blades are iven their rotary motion 011 the shaft t" as follows:

i represents an integrally-formed pair of interchangeable sprocket-wheels, one or the other of which (according to which one is used) is connected by a chain 25' with a loose sprocket-wheel t on the shaft i This sprocket-wheel 15 carries on one face a ratchetwheel i (the purpose of which will later appear) and on its other face a halfclutch which is engageable with another half-clutch carried by a sprocket-wheel 29 also loose on the shaft 25. The half-clutches of the sprockets t and 6 are so constructed that motion being imparted to the sprocket If it will drive the member i under the advance movement of the machine and the said clutches are normally held in engagement by a coil-spring i on shaft 25 between the bracket 75 and the wheel t The sprocket t receives motion through a chain 75 passing over the same and also over a sprocket 25 carried by a loose sleeve 25 on the shaft 25 29 is a sprocket-wheel carried also by the loose sleeve 25 and receiving motion through a driving-chain 25 passing over the same and also over a sprocket-wheelt fixed for motion with the shaft n and wheel n It must be evident from the foregoing that under the advance movement of the machine the reel-blades will receive their proper rotary motion for action on the stalks. The special construction of these reel-blades has been fully set forth and claimed in my prior patents herein referred to.

The pivoted reel-support i is provided with a cross-rod t, which works at its opposite ends in a pair of slotted segments secured one to the upper edge of each of the side plates 6 and serves to steady and limit the movement of the reel-support. These segments t are tied together at their opposite ends by brace-rods t which serve also to support and brace the side plates 12 The laterally-proj ecting reel-bracket t is provided with arearwardly-projecting arm which is connected by means of a coil-spring 25 with the cross-rod 25 carried by the vertical reelbracket 15 This spring 25 is of sufficient tension to approximately counterpoise the weight of the reel-bracket t and the reel-blades carried thereby. The adjustments of these reelbrackets t and 25" to throw the reel-blades into their proper operative positions on the stalks is accomplished as follows: 29 is a vertical standard secured to and rising from the pole 0 immediately in front of the drivers platform (Z. To the top of this standard {23 is secured an angular head f, the horizontal flange of which is provided with a series of perforations 29 and the vertical flange of Which is provided with a longitudinal slot or runway i 27 is a sliding latch-segment which straddles the vertical flange of the head and is provided with antifriction-rollers 75 working in the slotted runway 25 This latch-segment 25 is provided with a fixed finger-piece 25 a spring-held lock-pawl t engageable with the perforations 75 in the head 29, and also a movable finger-piece 25 for operating said pawl 75 This segment is connected ICO by means of a rod 6 with the upper end of the vertical reel-section 75*. is a latch-lever pivotally mounted on and co-operating with the latch-segment 25 This latch-1e ver is connected by means of a rod 25 with a projecting arm 25 formed rigid with the reel bracket or support 25 As is evident, by moving the latch-segment forward and backward the latch-lever Z will be carried therewith, and both of the reel-brackets t and i without changing their angularity with respect to each other, will be moved forward and backward with the said latch-segment and lever; but by allowing the latch-segment to remain stationary and moving the lever 6 on the same the reel-bracket 1' will be moved to raise or lower the reelblades t without affecting the movement of the reel-bracket 25 From the above, as is evident, any desired adjustment of the reel may be readily accomplished.

In a similar manner to that shown in my prior patents, I employ a device by means of which the timing of the reel-blades may, while the machine is, running, be readily cor rected. This device comprises, in addition to certain parts already mentioned, a pawl t carried at the free end of an arm 25, loosely mounted on the shaft 15 and engageable with the ratchet t of the sprocket 7?. Normally this pawl i is out of engagement with the ratchet t and is thrown into engagement in the arighting action by means of a hand-rod t attached at one end to said pawl, extending rearward within reach of the drivers platform and working loosely through the upper end of the latch-bar 9 Obviously by a quick drawing motion on this rod the sprocket-wheel i may be slipped ahead of the sprocket-wheel to bring the reel-blades into proper time for action on the standing stalks, if the same at any time should get out of proper time.

It has now been Observed that the stalks after having been out are delivered by the reels onto the fixed bundle -tables I). After the bundles have accumulated to the proper size they are discharged by the simul taneous action of a pair of discharge-arms, which work one over each of said bundle-tables b. As shown, these discharge-arms o are pivoted at o to brackets r rising from the segments 11*, and secured to the side plates Z2 The lower free ends of these dischargearms are provided with laterally-projecting prongs t and the extremities of these prongs, as well as the extremities of the dischargearms proper, 2', work between flanges r secured on the face of the bundle-tables b. It will be noted that these flanges v are curved upward toward their outer ends, which serves to prevent the stalks from rolling off from the bundle-tables while accumulating into bundles. The discharge-arms r are provided with angular projections which extend inward and are connected by means of links 12 with the opposite prongs of a long forked lever o".

This lever o is pivoted at its forward end on the cross-tie rod 15 and extends rearward to the drivers platform (Z, where it terminates in a foot-piece o and handpiece r Normally this lever o is held in its uppermost position and the discharge-arms in their innermost position against the side plates 19 by means of a coil-spring v on a rod 0 which rod is pivoted at its upper end to said lever v and works at its lower end through a lug o projecting from the tongueor polepiece 0.

0 represents tie-rods which extend from the upper portions of the gathering-plates h to the outer ends of the cross-shaft b and serve as braces for said plates.

By placing the foot on the foot-piece e or the hand on the handpiece '0 or both, and pressing down on the rear end of the lever t, the discharge-arms 'v 42 will be thrown outward into the positions shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4. This action will, of course,discharge both bundles simultaneously from the opposite sides of the machine. The advantages of these discharge-arms and fixed bundle-tables over the ordinary pivoted bundle-tables are thought to be clear. In the first place, the discharge of the bundles is rendered positive, and in the second place, the bundle-tables maybe run closer to the ground without being caught or interfered with by the unevenness of the ground.

The general operation and advantages of this machine as an entirety must be clear from the foregoing description.

It will be understood, of course, that various alterations in the details of construction and arrangement of the parts of the machine may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

lVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. In a corn harvester, the combination with the pair of bundle tables and corresponding cutters, of a single drive wheel located between said bundle tables, forming a pivot for the bundle table section of the machine, a pair of caster wheels, the seats of which are secured to a common transverse shaft, mounted in bearings to the rear of said drive wheel, a rearwardly extending steering-pole, pivoted at its forward end on said cross shaft, and a rudder-wheel, pivoted to the rear end of said pole, provided with a steering lever, substantially as described.

2. In a corn harvester, the combination with a pair of bundle tables and corresponding cutters, of a single drive wheel located between the bundle tables, forming a longitudinal pivot for the same, a pair of caster wheels, the seats of which are secured to a common transverse shaft, seated at the rear of said drive wheel, a rearwardly extending steering-pole, pivoted, at its forward end, on said cross shaft, a rudder-wheel, pivotally mounted at the rear end of said pole, and lever connections for rocking said bundle IIO tables on the shaft of said drive wheel, as a pivot, substantially as described.

In a corn harvester, the combination with a pair of bundle tables, and corresponding cutters, of a single drive wheel located between said tables, the pair of caster wheels secured on a common cross shaft rearward of said drive wheel, the rearwardly extending steering-pole pivoted at its forward end on said cross shaft, the rudder-wheel pivotally mounted at the rear end of said pole, the operators platform secured to the rear end of said pole, and lever connections for rocking the bundle table section of the machine extending rearward to within reach from the operators platform, substantially as described.

4:. In a corn harvester, the combination with a reel, the support of which comprises two brackets pivoted, one to the machine, and one to the free end of the other, of a sliding carriage, a pivoted lever carried by said carriage, and independent connections respectively between said carriage and said lever and said pivoted reel-brackets, substantially as described.

5. I11 a corn harvester, the combination with the reel support comprising the bracket I, pivoted to the machine, and the bracket 1 pivoted to the bracket 25 and provided with the projecting arm 25 of the head-piece 25 with perforations t and runway 25 the latchsegment Z having rollers 75 working in said runway 75 and provided with the lock-pawl 6 engageable with said perforations the pivoted latch-lever 25 carried by and co-opcrating with said latch segment 25 the connecting rod 6 between said lever 15 and arm 25 and the connection F between said segment 6 and the reel-bracket t substantially as described.

6. In a corn harvester, the combination with the gathering crotch, formed by the forward extremities of the plates 71 and b of the arighting arms k pivoted to said plates on the studs k and subject to the lateral yielding action of the springs 15*, the vertical fingers 70 and the pins k insertible into the perforations k substantially as and for the purpose set forth. I

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RASMUS PEDERSON. \Vitnesses A. L. SLoss, EDWIN E. PowDERLY. 

